Blog of Dr. Miland Brown that features different aspects of world history. Not everything can be covered but sites dealing with any historical issue or topic are possible future posts. Also includes sites which discuss teaching history. Dr. Brown is an academic in North America.

Sunday, January 23, 2005

Blackbeard: Teach's Hole

Blackbeard: Teach's Hole - Exhibit and Pyrate Specialty Shoppe dedicated to Blackbeard the pirate, who died in Ocracoke, NC. Detailed history of Blackbeard, also general information on piracy.

From the site:

Blackbeard went by the name Edward Teach. Most historians agree that he was born about the year 1680 in Bristol, England. He was able to read and write which suggests his family had money.

As with most pirates, little is known of his early life. Sometime in the early eighteenth century, Teach left Bristol for Jamaica to sail on the ships of privateers. When England revoked the privateer’s license, Teach joined forces with Captain Benjamin Hornigold. Hornigold took Teach under his wing and taught him everything he knew about taking ships. This alliance lasted for a little over two years. It was during this time that Teach first came to Carolina.

By March of 1718, Blackbeard had decided to leave the Caribbean and sail up the east coast of America. On his way he encountered several ships who joined forces with him. By the time they reached Charleston in late May, Blackbeard had nearly seven hundred men under his command.